Little Busters
by Lonely Mononoke
Summary: FKA FLCL: Haruko's signs.It's been two years since Haruko left Mabase, and Naota has begun to give up hope of her ever returning. Some NaoNina, of course NaoHaru, and later some MamiNao, and a little teensy bit of HaruMami laterr...like, way later!
1. Chapter 1

_This is my first actual FLCL fanfic, and it might have alot of spelling mistakes..so be gentle. But R&R, k?_

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'It's been almost two years...and I'm just starting to wonder..if she thinks of me too...'

Naota was drifting off to sleep in his bed after trying his best to play a song on the blue guitar that now lay in the corner of his bedroom.

Playing the guitar is the only thing that brings back memories of Haruko whether he wants them to be brought back or not.

For the past two years he's been doing nothing but practicing guitar in his spare time to impress Haruko when she returns, and he'd never once questioned the possibility of her even remembering who or where he is. She could be universes and even galaxies away from him by now, not even giving her visit to planet Earth a second thought after she left.

'What if she doesn't even remember me...? Like how Tasuku completely forgot us being his family...and Mamimi just leaving to be some photographer in America...?'

Naota had gotten over the fact that Mamimi had left him, and even eventually forgot having a pro baseball player for a brother in America, but never the fact that Haruko just left him there, standing speachless on the hill as she drifted there on her vespa. And what exactly did she mean by, "You're still young, Takkun"? This whole time he just assumed it meant she was going to come get him when he was older... but now he wasn't so sure...

"Naota-kun, there's a nice young lady at the door for you!" Kamon, his father, called up the stairs.

He slowly slipped out of bed, left his room, and trudged down the stairs.

Just as he thought, it was Eri Ninamori-san...

"Hey Ninamo, what's up? What're you doing at my house this late?" It was already eleven o'clock at night.

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm here to drop off the magazine you left at my house." She shoved the book at his chest, and for some reason she was blushing as she did so. "Well, I'll be going now. My dad's new secretary is waiting outside for me..."

Ever since her father got in trouble with the law two years earlier, he's been changing secretaries every week.

"Bye Ninamori. Will we be walking to school together tomorrow?"

She turned around, still blushing, "If you want." With that she closed the door behind her, and Naota made his way back upstairs.

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An hour later, he got bored, and couldn't sleep because he'd slept for three hours earlier. So he opened the 'zine Ninamori gave back to him. When he flipped through it, it automatically opened to one page, as if there were a bookmark in it. In the pages was a small piece of paper.

'Just as I thought, she was reading it...'

He took the paper out and read it:

Naota,

I'm only going to write this once. I like you. If you like me too, let me know tomorrow morning while walking to school. I have no time for childish games, so make it blatant.

- Eri Ninamori

Naota cringed.

'Ninamori likes me...? But how? She's so smart and I'm so...not. And plus, she knows I'm still waiting for Haruk--'

He stopped himself. Never before had this happened, when he started to think something else, and Haruko popped into his mind. It was like he'd lost control of his thoughts for a moment. Then it occured to him, maybe he could date Ninamori until Haruko returned? If he did, he'd never feel bad, and it would make Ninamori happy. And when Haruko finally did return, he'd simply make Ninamori-san hate him enough to break up with him herself. That way no one get's hurt.

He smiled at himself. 'Brilliant!', he thought.

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The next day he woke up for school bright and early. He quickly changed into his uniform, combed his hair to best of his ability, and started off for the railroad tracks to meet Ninamori.

'Ninamori's going to be so happy that I'm going out with her, she won't even think of the reason why!'

Now, regardless of how he was acting, he did feel pangs of guilt every time he reminded himself of what he was going to do to Ninamori. But then he had to re-remind himself of how he was going to end thier relationship, or rather, she was.

In the distance, he could see Ninamori waiting at the stop sign for the train to pass. She seemed tense, but who could blame her? She was awaiting Naota's answer.

"Hey, Ninamori!" He ran up to her. "Hey, I got your message."

"Oh." She blushed and looked away, pretending to be subtle. But her eagerness was obvious. "Good."

"And," Naota grabbed her hand, trying to make it more believable, "I wanted to tell you... that I'd love to go out with you, Ninamori."

She smiled. "Really! I mean.. great. I'm happy." She smiled at him. "So where are we gonna go?"

"Well, to school, I figured." Naota became confused. Go? What did she mean, "go"?

"No, I mean, on a date. Where are you going to take me?"

"Oh..." He had completely forgotten the dating aspect of...well..dating! And Ninamori was a wealthy girl, so it would be harder to please her. "Um...maybe..a theme park? Maybe?"

"Hm, I guess." She didn't seemed pleased. And for some reason, Naota felt the need to please her. Maybe being a boyfriend comes with a responsibility he hadn't thought of?

"Well, where do you wanna go?"

"There's a new sushi restaurant open, how 'bout there?"

Naota hated sushi. It was bitter. And the wasabi was spicy. But he complied. "Okay, we can go there."

"Great!" The train passed, and they made thier way to school.

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That day at school, Gaku and Masashi were pressuring Naota into telling them more about he and Ninamori.

"Ninamori! Are you nuts? What the hell made you pick her as a girlfriend?" Gaku slammed on the desk, and Naota had begun to develop a headache.

"Yeah, do you know what she's expecting from you, Naota?" Masashi was quieter, but his questions were just as annoying.

"Cut it out! Why do you guys care who I go out with anyway?" Naota's headache was increasing and he laid his head down on his desk.

"Wow, I didn't know you felt that way Naota-kun!" Ninamori had been behind him his whole part of the argument. She hugged him. "And, oh, what's wrong? Aren't you feeling well?"

"No. I have a headache." He closed his eyes. His head was pounding and he began to get dizzy. And nauseus. "I...gotta go to the bathroom!" He jumped up and ran out of the room.

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After Naota got sick in the bathroom, he walked over to the sink and washed his face with soap. The soap got into his eyes and began to burn. "Agh..." He rubbed more water in them, and then washed them out.

"Jeez...doesn't anything go right for me?" After washing his face, he stared into the mirror. Suddenly, something caught his eye. There was something sticking out of the front of his head! He felt around it. It felt cold and hard, but not metallic. More like plastic. Or glass.

But what was it? Then he remembered Haruko, her lovely pink hair, her greenish yellow eyes... And his head hurt more.

"Augh! Dammit! Not agaaaaaain!" He fell to his knees and clasped his head in his hands, and a miniature tv screen popped out of his head. The pain stopped, and he reopened his eyes because they were shut from the pain.

He got back on his feet and looked in the mirror. The screen was blank, for now. But he wondered what was going to appear on it, and if there was more than just a screen in his head.

Somehow he knew this was only the calm before the storm.

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_I do not own any part of FLCL, it is (c) Gainax_

_Though I wish it were mine... ;; more coming soon... I know this one was short, sorry. ;;; _


	2. Chapter 2

_I promise, I'll make Naota more IC this time.. ;; Plz R&R... Cuz I tried really hard on this chapter to make it seem like the real anime..._

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Naota's eyes widened at the sight of his forehead in the mirror.

A tv screen. Was it part of a robot? It wasn't big enough to be part of Canti... And Haruko was gone.

Or was she back?

He hasn't thought of that since this morning. What if Haruko had returned?

And how will he hide this from his classmates?

He decided to just go home.

He would leave school without telling anyone, go home, and put something over it to cover it up. Like a hat.

He left the mirror and walked over to the bathroom door. He cracked it open a little, and peered out of it.

No one in sight. But what if someone turned the corner just as he did? Would they see his tv-head and think it were wierd? Would they tell Gaku, Masashi, and Ninamori about the tv? If Ninamori heard, would she remember Haruko and get insanely jealous?

He didn't have time to think of these things. He had to get out.

He quickly ran out the door of the bathroom and down the hall, towards the locker room to get his shoes. He was careful to keep his head covered with his hands, so it looked like he just had an immense headache, which he now did.

He got to the locker room and quickly places his shoes on. Gotta get out gotta get out gotta get out! That's all he could think as he rushed down to the main entrance.

"Hey", he suddenly heard someone call, but he didn't bother to look back. "Nandaba-san, get back here this instant or face a week of detention and one suspens--" before the person could finish thier sentance, Naota was out of the building.

But he couldn't stop running now. Not now that he was finally out of the school.

He got home shortly after.

"Naota-kun," His father greeted him as he entered the house, "Why are you home so early?"

"I was sick." He lied. But he couldn't tell his father the truth. "So they sent me home."

"Ah..." It was a good thing his father's office door was closed, or he would have seen his head. "What was the matter?"

"I had a headache. Why do you care, anyway? Go back to work." Naota walked up the stairs and into his room, where he collapsed on his bed.

Maybe when he wakes up it'll all just be a dream...

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Naota woke up later in the afternoon.

He got up out of bed and looked into his mirror. Nope. Still there.

"Nao, dinner." he heard his father call. But he didn't have much of an appetite.

"I don't want any." Naota replied, "What are you having, anyway?"

"Curry, your favorite."

"Then no, I don't want any. I'll make something later."

"Oh, by the way, Ninamori-san called. She said that she wants you to call her back and that she loves you." He said in a sly voice that made Naota want to punch someone.

"I don't care." Then he remembered that he was supposed to be going out with her, "I'll call her later." He slammed his bedroom door.

For a while Naota just sat in his room and stared into his mirror. He couldn't go to school, not like this. And he couldn't leave his room unless everyone was asleep.

He sighed. "Why does Haruko have to be so..." But he couldn't think of the word. No word could possibly describe her.

'Was it even Haruko that put this here...?' He wondered. 'Or is this just an aftereffect of two years ago?'

Just then his headache increased. He fell to his knees and grasped his head in his hands. "Oh, no...Damn tv screen!" he yelled, then something popped onto the screen.

He got up and looked in the mirror again. "...P?"

On his forehead was the sign, "P!"

Flashes.

Black and white. One flashbackof Haruko, her face looking disappointed. "You're the one I saw first, Takkun.."

Another Vision, Amarao, "Raharu..."

Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Dammit..Haruko..." He wiped the tears away.

Naota remembered how much he really missed that woman.

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The next day, Naota told his father that he couldn't go into school that day because he was still sick from the day before. And of course, Kamon believed him. And Naota also explained that his father could not enter the room because his illness was highly contageous.

After his father went out for more bread supplies, and his grandfather went to baseball practice, Naota left his room in search for a decent meal, since he didn't eat the night before.

"Nothing," He said, searching through the cabinets, "Nothing but bread, bread, and more bread..."

"Then make eggs with toast." he heard a familiar voice say, but he couldn't quite remember who it belonged to.

"Who's there?" He looked around his kitchen. No one else seemed to be in the room except him. "Show yourself or I'll get my bat!" It was always good to threaten the enemy...

"You haven't changed a bit, have you, Takkun?"

"My name's not Takkun, it's Naota! Takkun's my brother's name..." He answered. Then looked around again. "Who are you?"

"You remember me, don't you?" It was a female's voice, no doubt. But whose? "I didn't think your memory was so bad... Oh well. It's okay. Cats have good memories. Maybe I'll give you cat ears again."

Then it hit him.

"Haruko!" He looked around frantically. "Haruko, where are you?"

"Look in a mirror." He could almost hear the smirk in her voice.

He did, and there she was. On the tv in his head, there she was. The girl he'd never stopped thinking about for two years. "Haruko, where are you right now?"

"Well right now it seems I'm inside your head." She smirked, "But I'll be back to get you, Takkun, just like I promised."

Tears once again formed in his eyes. He hated it, this feeling. He felt so helpless, like the night Haruko came back from when she left for a short period of time, except this time it was much worse.

"Haruko..." He sniffed, "Where did you go? Are you coming back soon?"

Haruko smiled, this time sincerely. "Yeah, Takkun...I'm comin back soon. So wait for me, okay?"

"When? When will you be back to get me? Because I never stopped thinking about you. For two years, I never stopped...even for a second..." He was sobbing now.

"I know, Takkun. Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Just wait for me. Seeya then..." The screen went black and a big white "P!" symbol appeared again.

And he was left on his kitchen floor.

Crying like a baby.

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_R&R Pplz! SECOND CHAPTA! RAWRRRR xD I'm really hyper right now on energy drinks... SHAZAHHHHHH! passes out --_


	3. Chapter 3

_This the third, and my fav so far, part of the story. Let me know what you think by reviewing plz..._

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Naota ran up to his room after crying and slammed his door.

'She made me cry.' Naota was thinking to himself, as he faced his door.

Just then, behind him, one of the Rickenbacker guitar strings were plucked, sending a music note floating to Naota's ear.

He quickly turned around, "Haruko--" But to no avail. Haruko was not there, but it's been a while since the guitar did that on it's own.

'She's messing with me...' He thought.

Flash of black and white Haruko. Her face saddened. "You're the one I saw first, Ta-kun..."

Why was that vision constantly playing in his mind? Was it because he'd thought of that moment so many times that it was embedded into his mind and he could no longer control his thoughts of it?

He looked at his mirror, which was right above the guitar. To his suprise, his expression was one of anger, not sadness.

If Haruko had been behind him just now, playing the guitar, what would he have said? He'd clearly started to say something before he'd realized it wasn't her, but what was it?

He then noticed that it was night, and his lights were not turned on. So he clicked one of them on and sat down, staring at the guitar as if waiting for something.

But nothing came.

Why am I staring at the guitar?' He thought, 'it's not like it's gonna move or anything...' He shrugged it of, and laid down in his bed, and drifted off to sleep.

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_"Where am I?" _

_Naota had woken up to find that he was under the bridge he and Mamimi used to lay under. "Oh...Wait, what am I doing here? I don't even remember coming here..."_

_"Ta-kun!"_

_He turned around._

_"Come here, I need to show you something." Haruko was there, sitting down next to the river!_

_So Naota complied. He walked over and sat down next to her. "What is it?" he asked, looked into the water, where she was looking. He also wondered why he wasn't happier to see her..._

_"Someone is drowning, Ta-kun. Are you going to save them?"_

_"What are you talking about? No one's--" But then Naota saw it, a person under the water that was once shallow. It was unbelievably deep now. And the person drowning was Mamimi! "Mamimi!" he called._

_"Oh, it's that girl...Well, are you gonna go save her? Or are you gonna stay her and be with me while I have only today to be with you?" Naota looked at her. Did she really expect him to choose? "If you pick her, I might as well leave right now...what with all the help she'll need, we'll have no time to be together, Ta-kun."_

_Naota's expression changed durastically. It went from an emotion of confusion to worry. 'If I don't be with Haruko right now, I might never see her again...' He looked in the water. 'But if I choose to save Mamimi, maybe she'll be with me...'_

_"Hey!"_

_He turned around._

_"You're not really going to save her, are you?" Ninamori! But why was she there? How did she know where Naota would be? "I mean...she is pretty dumb if she fell into the water like that. And what about our date, Naota?"_

_Their date? How could she be thinking about a date at a time like this? Mamimi was in trouble, and neither Haruko nor Ninamori cared! "Ninamori, I need help saving Mamimi! Could you go get some rope and--"_

_"So you'd rather save her than be with me?" Haruko's neko-face was made. "Gee, and I thought we'd spend a ton of time together...alone."_

_"We will, Haruko. But I need to help Mami--"_

_"Then forget our date!" It was Ninamori's turn to interrupt. "I'm not going if they're going to be there!"_

_Naota's head was spinning, and hurting. Suddenly a flash of white._

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Naota woke up in his room. He sat up and looked around.

No Ninamori, Mamimi, or Haruko. Then a sharp pain pulsated in his head.

"Augh!" He let out a cry of pain and cupped his head in his hands. "What a wierd dream...And my head really hurts...Dammit.."

"Naota...Are you planning on taking school today?" His father shouted up the stairs.

"No, tell the teacher I'm still sick." He rubbed the tv on his head. "What the hell is this thing anyway?" Of course, he knew it was a tv, but was it a part of something bigger?

"Naota-kun, you've been absent for almost three days now. Do you need a doctor?" This time his father's voice came from outside his door.

"No! I'm fine!" Naota yelled quickly, trying to get his father away from the door in case his head pounded and he let out a cry of pain again.

"Well if you're fine, you can go to school."

"No, I'm fine. But I'm...uh...recovering. You know, you're supposed to stay home couple days more for reccuperation after the sickness has left you." He tried to sound like he knew what he was saying.

"Whatever you say, Naota..." It didn't sound like Kamon believed his son for a second.

Naota sighed and stood up, stretching. Then he walked over to the mirror. He seriously needed a bath, and he knew that. So he quickly undressed and ran into the bathroom.

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While in the bathroom, Naota heard his father talking to one of his customers.

"...I'm sorry...sick right now...back later..." was all he could hear of his father, then a female voice.

"Oh...tell him...back tomorrow...stopped by..."

Next Kamon again, "Will do. Have a nice day!"

Naota wondered who it was, and finished up his bath quickly. It didn't sound like Ninamori. But it couldn't have been Haruko.

He ran into his room and dressed. He put on baggy green cargos, and his brother's old black baseball shirt. He was about to go downstairs and ask his father who was on the phone when he remembered that he still had the tv on his head.

Naota searched around the room for something to wear on his head. Anything. Ah. He picked up his brother's (also) old black cotton "Chaos" hat-beanie. He put it on over the tv. "This'll work. Too bad we can't wear hats in shool..." Then he ran downstairs.

"Hey dad. Who was here for me? I heard someone talking to you." He said, walking over to his father who was rolling dough for bread-making.

"Oh, just some girl. She had red hair pulled back into a spider-bun...and a hoody on with baggy black pants. I don't think I know her from anywhere, but she said she'd be back tomorrow to see if you were feeling any better.." He looked up, "My boy Naota-kun is growing up so fast..." he pretended to cry and wipe a tear away, smudging dough on his face.

Naota smirked. "Thanks, dad. Let me know when she comes back tomorrow." He slipped on his sneakers and started walking out the door. "I'll be back, I'm just stopping by the book store."

"I thought you were recupperating.." It was Kamon's turn to smirk now. "Well, it doesn't matter. Just stop by the supermarket and get me some more milk would you?"

"Sure." And Naota closed the door behind him.

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Naota couldn't blame the girl who stopped by for him for wearing a hoody. It was a pretty brisk day for early autumn. The trees blew in the wind, and leaves fell from them.

He stopped while walking down a road that doubled as a bridge.

This is where he and Mamimi would hang out, and he was getting dejavou from his dream. He looked over the edge, at the place where they'd sit in the grass.

There was a girl sitting there! She was sitting next to the river, with her feet in the water and her black baggy pants rolled up. She was wearing a black hoodie that read "Sub Zero" and had her red hair tied into a spider-bun, with strands of it in her face.

"Mamimi?" He called down, and she looked up.

"Ta-kun!" She yelled. But then she hesitated for a minute. "I mean...Naota-kun!" She motioned for him to come down there. "Come here, Naota-kun! Your dad said you were sick, but Mamimi didn't believe him, nope!"

Naota smiled, which he hasn't done in a while. Mamimi was back to visit! And she had changed... She was no longer the seventeen year old airheaded pyro delinquent that left. She was the new, improved, goth-type Mamimi. When he got down to the grass to see her, he noticed she had several peircings around the cartilege of her ears, and a black streak in her hair.

"Mamimi...You look really different.." he said, staring up at her.

"You've changed too, Ta-kun...I mean Naota-kun. You've got a cooler hat now." She smiled and patted him on the head. While she patted him, she felt the tv screen under the hat. "Hm? Naota-kun has a hard thing under his hat..."

"Oh, you felt, huh?" He looked embarrased. What would Mamimi say if he said he thought Haruko was coming back? She never actually hated Haruko, but she might get scared. "Well...do you promise you won't get scared or anything? Cuz I don't want you screaming while we're down here, someone might think you're getting raped or something..."

She laughed a little. "Naota-kun wants to share a secret with Mamimi? Okay then, I promise." She smiled brightly. Same old Mamimi.

"Okay then." He took off his hat, revealing the black tv screen.

Mamimi just stared blankly for a few seconds. She sucked in alot of air, and Naota was moving towards her to keep her from screaming, but before he could she yelled, "Yay! Naota-kun's head is just like I remember it! Always something coming out of it! This time it's a tv. Does your tv have cable, Ta-kun?"

Naota was confused. "I thought you'd be scared. Or worried."

"Worried? Why would I be worried? It's fun watching things come out of Naota-kun's head!" She crawled over to Naota's head and poked the screen. "Does it hurt when I poke it?"

"No. I can't even feel it. The only thing I can feel is when it gets bigger, my head hurts..." Now if he were any other kid his age, he'd probably start laughing because of how wrong that sounded. But not Naota, he was mature. Mamimi was the one who started laughing as Naota replaced his hat.

"Naota-kun said something bad and didn't even realize it!" She laughed a little more then got serious again. "Does this mean Haru-san is still here?"

"No, she's not here anymore. She left. You saw her." He stood up, his back facing her. "Well, I'd better be going. Will you be by my house tomorrow to hang out with me again? Or...y'know..you don't really have to." He blushed.

Mamimi could see he was embarassed, and she smiled. "Yes. Yes Mamimi will be over Naota-kun's place tomorrow to see him again, because she misses her Ta-kun. Her Naota-kun."

Even though his back was towards her, she could still sense it. And her senses were always right. He was smiling.

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On his way home, Naota remembered what he wanted to pick up from the store. Bandages.

If he had to go to school tomorrow in order to hang out with Mamimi afterwards, he had to at least try to cover up the TV with bandages and make it look like an accident. He stopped at the nearest conveniance store he could find and bought them.

Again he remembered something. He had to pick up milk at the store for his father. By that time it was later because there was only one convenience store in Mabase and it was a fair distance from where he started at the bridge. And since the grocery store was on the completely opposite part of town, it would take him even longer.

He sighed. "Annoying..." Then he thought to himself, 'It's annoying how my dad always asks me to get stuff that would have taken a shorter time to buy if he went himeself, and it's annoying that the convenience store is so far away..."and it's _annoying_ that he has to waste his money on bandages when I shouldn't even have to buy them at all because I shouldn't have a tv growing out of my head!" He'd said that last part alloud and hadn't noticed until he looked around and saw everyone on the street staring at him.

He looked around and continued home from the grocery store.

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Naota returned home and plopped the milk on the table, then walked calmly up to his room while holding the bandages. He was exausted. He needed sleep.

Besides, he had school tomorrow. And afterwards he and Mamimi had catching up to do. He laid down on his bed. 'What a day...' he'd thought to himself, then drifted off to sleep.

END THEME

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_Yeah this time I tried to make it seem more FLCL-ish... cuz for some reason I'm having trouble keeping Naota-kun IC... And I added an end theme. Yeah, it's the same "Ride On Shooting Star", by The Pillows. I thought it'd be cool to add that to the end part of it, cuz I'm corny like that. Oh well, R&R plz. _

_Could you tell I can't wait to write the next chapter? XDD_


	4. Chapter 4

_Okay, here's the fourth chapter. There's a little note from me at the end of it. _

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Naota awoke bright and early the next morning, thinking about the day ahead.

First, he was being forced to go to school because if he didn't, his father would keep him from going out with Mamimi. Then he'd spend the rest of the day with Mamimi, thinking of old times and talking about what she did in America.

He slipped on his normal school uniform, and then wrapped the bandages around his head, being careful to cover up the tv that was poking out of it.

Then he left for school.

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He met Ninamori at the train tracks as she waited for the train to pass her.

"Naota," she said, turning around. "Where were you these past few days? Were you sick?"

"Yeah, you could say that." He rubbed the back of his head, causing Ninamori to notice the bandages.

"What happened to your head?" she asked.

"I, uh, hit my head on the top bunk this morning." He lied, "I'm growing pretty fast, you know."

"Oh, well, do you want to go see a movie tonight? A new anime just came out and I was just wondering if you wanted to see it with me." She turned and faced the traintracks. "Or will you be with that dumb highschool girl that left a few years ago?"

Naota froze. 'Dumb highschool girl?' Was she talking about Mamimi? How did she know Mamimi was back? He decided to ask, "What do you mean?"

"Don't lie, Naota, I saw you." She began to walk across the tracks, since the train had passed.

"You saw me? When?" He was trying to act dumb, which wasn't one of his finest qualities.

"Yesterday, under the one bridge you guys used to always be under." She turned around. "Are you coming, Naota?"

He noticed that he was still on the other side of the tracks. "Huh? Oh, yeah...But why were you spying on me?"

"No. I don't spy." She started walking again. "I was just walking past when I heard voices. And when I looked down it was you and her there."

"Oh, well, it's not like we were doing anything." He walked quickly to catch up with her. "We're just friends, Ninamori."

She just nodded. Naota didn't even understand why she was nodding. He didn't ask a yes or no question, so why did she nod?

She started to speed up her walking, and Naota struggled to follow her. "I'll..I'll see you at lunch.." Then she ran off.

Was it something he said? He thought he was her eyes water, was she crying? "Great..." he said to himself, "I made Ninamori cry..."

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During class wasn't any better. Naota could barely concentrate because he felt so bad about Ninamori. "Why was she crying, anyway? It's not like I said anything to hurt her feelings."

He had more time to talk to her about that at lunch.

Too bad he's made plans with Mamimi to meet her around lunchtime.

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"She doesn't like you talking to me, but you're still here, Naota-kun." Mamimi hugged Naota from behind like she always used to. "That must mean you still have a little crushy on me."

"I don't know what you're talking about, I never had a crush on you.." Though from where Mamimi was sitting, she couldn't see that Naota was blushing.

"You did have a crush on me." Mamimi cuddled with him. "That's why Naota-kun tried to get me to kiss him before Haruko-san left."

"No. I only did that cuz I thought you liked me more than my brother." He broke off from her grasp and walk forward a few steps towards the water. "But you didn't, so I understood why you wouldn't kiss me."

Mamimi giggled. "If you want, Mamimi could kiss you now." She walked over next to him and stared at her reflection in the water, as he was doing at this time.

Naota continued staring at the water for a few seconds, running what she had just said through her head. Then it'd finally registered. "What!" He jumped back. "I can't kiss you, I'm dating Ninamori! ...and besides. I don't want to." He was blushing even deeper now.

Mamimi giggled again and moved towards him.

Naota took a few steps back. "Now, Mamimi, you don't want to do this. I'm in a relationship right now and...and..." He fell backwards into the water. Naota had completely forgotten about how the river suddenly curved.

Mamimi bent down and held a hand out to him. "Does Naota-kun really think that Mamimi would do something like that to him without his permission?" She was still smiling that innocent smile.

He took her hand and started pulling himself out of the water. "...Of course not." He felt especially lucky that his hat didn't fall off when he fell in.

Suddenly Mamimi pulled him up faster, then before he could protest, she kissed him.

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_Dun dun dunnnnnnn! lol I had to lighten the mood. Anyway, that's the fourth chapter. It took me a while because I was lazier than normal. What was that, two monthes? lol Ah but the levers and pulleys in my brain were still cranking, ...or...whatever levers and pulleys do... lol See you later! The next chapter shouldn't be long. I'll try to get it in before I start school again next week. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey you guys! Ohmygod I'm soo sorry I didn't update all year! Like, seriously, please don't tell me the people that wanted to read more don't want to read anymore... :( That'd make me seriously upset. But okay, I don't own any part of FLCL, that belongs to Gainax, and so do all of the characters in the following fic. 3_

Of course, after that kiss, Naota immediately ran away. And he kept running until he saw the lit-up bakery window that he knew was his house. Or, at least, Kamon's house. Naota ran in and slammed the door, leaning against it, he panted.

Never.

He never wanted to be with Mamimi again.

Her kissing him felt like cheating. And, for good reason.

He did have a girlfriend.

Ninamori.

Too bad Ninamori isn't the one he felt he was cheating on.

He walked upstairs calmly, because he knew that if he stamped up the stairs, he'd hear Kamon's door open, and his father would ask what the problem was. That was the last thing Naota wanted. Because if he mentioned Haruko around Kamon, and let him know how much his son missed the housekeeper, he'd just want to replace her. He'd think the only problem was not having a sexy woman-figure walking around the house.

He got to his room and shut he door behind him.

All these girls. Why did everyone think Naota was attractive except the girl he loved?

'I bet she doesn't think about me at all...', he thought. Then the scarier thoughts started.

What if she had a different home?

What if his planet/home were just one of many?

How many other boys has she cursed like him?

And, of course, like any other night, he had these thoughts until sleep washed over him.

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The alarm didn't wake Naota the next morning, his cat did. It had taken it upon itself to sit on his face.

"Dammit, cat!" He shoved the feline off of him. Great, now he needed to shower. Just when today was going to be one of those lazy days where he didn't want a shower.

After he cleansed himself, the phone rang. He then, shirtlessly, walked over and answered it.

"Mon-chan's bakery, Naota here."

"Takun?"

"...I told you not to call me that. You didn't call me that last night, you won't call me that now." It was Mamimi. What if she asks why he ran away?

"Heehee. Sorry. I was just wondering when you'll be getting out of school to hang out today?"

"I won't be. Hanging out, I mean. I have...other plans. With my girlfriend."

"..Oh...Okay. I'll just be under the bridge as always, Naota-kun. In case you decide to come by..." She hung up.

Leave it to Naota to make things awkward.

He quickly put his shirt on, wrapped the bandages around his head, and left for school.

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At school, Ninamori didn't talk to him all day.

But then again, he couldn't blame her. He had, after all, ditched her at lunch yesterday. He wished he could apologize for letting Mamimi kiss him like that, but she didn't know about it. And who says she had to find out?

"Hey. Whats wrong with you and Ninamori? Lover's quarrel?" Gaku. Nosey bastard.

"...No. We're just..not talking right now. Too much closeness can bring more distance into a relationship, you know." Naota bit a piece of squid in his lunch.

"True, true. But still..."

"Look, we didn't have a fight, okay, Gaku? Jeez.." he closed up his lunch, picked it up and carried it away with him to Ninamori's table.

He sat down next to her, but she pretended not to notice.

"...ahem. Ninamori...I'm sorry I wasn't at lunch yesterday." He thought for a second, "Or...the rest of yesterday..I brought you some squid!" He handed her the lunch.

"I don't eat squid." She shoved it back over to him.

"Well, don't you at least want an explaination?"

"I don't need one, since that girl's back from America, I know where you are when you're not in school for the last half of the day." She picked up her lunch and walked away, tossing it in the garbage and leaving the cafeteria.

Naota sighed and got up. There's just no pleasing her...

_Yeahhhhh... I'll update soon, I promise. I just needed to get my story back in the lineup-thingy on the website. Sorry if it's not as good as the other chapters, first chapter written in like, a year you know. :D;;_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey guys! Lonely Mononoke here:D With a new "Little Busters" chapter, no less! Eee! I get all giddy when I get good reviews! But, no flames. I prefer constructive criticism. Umm here's chapter 6! Two chapters in one day? Is she rushing the series? No, I am not. For I managed to put off chapter 5 for a whole year, I'm allowed to submit two chapters in one day! Maybe three! Anyway...no, I do NOT own any part of FLCL, Gainax does. And none of the characters in this entire fic belong to me. Thank you. :D_

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Naota huffed as he laid back on his bed, guitar on his lap. Maybe he should consider getting lessons? Is it even tuned correctly? Nothing he played seemed to come out just right, the way Haruko used to try to teach him sounded so perfect.

Someone knocked at the door downstairs. Naota rolled over, uncaring.

They knock again. 'Dad'll get it...', he thought as he got drowzy.

Again. 'Where the hell is my dad?' Naota started to think to himself.

Again. 'Sonofabitch...', he got up and walked downstairs.

He opened the front door and there stood a little girl with a cart of cookies. "Hello! We're selling cookies and we were just wondering if--"

He closed the door in her face. All he heard from the other side was, "But sir.."

"Who sells cookies at seven o'clock at night?" Naota yelled through the door.

"My little sister." He heard Masashi on the other side of the door. Why is it that his friends come in at exactly the wrong time?

He slid the door back open, "Masashi? What're you doing here?"

"Little sister." he responded, "Sells cookies for my grandmother. Want one?"

"Nahh..." As tempting as it was, Naota didn't feel too much like cookies right now. "Maybe some other time.. How's your school?"

"It's okay. I hear you're dating Ninamori now. Good for you. Always knew she liked you, you know."

"You did?" Interesting. His friend knew about Ninamori's crush, yet never told him?

"Yeah. I thought it was obvious, how she always used to glare at you when you were with your wi-- er..your brothers ex. And that one girl with the guitar..."

"Haruko." Naota interrupted. "The girl with the guitar's name was Haruko..."

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna take off. See ya, Naota." He walked off, and Naota shut the door behind him.

So that's why Ninamori's been having such a bad attitude. Because of how close he used to be to Haruko and how close he's begininning to get to Mamimi again. Though now he refused to let that happen.

'I wonder what Mamimi's doing right now..' Now that he was awake, he didn't feel like being alone in a bakery by himself. He picked up the phone and began dialing, but not before noticing a light on the screen door in front of him. It looked like either someone was behind the screen shining a blue light on it, or someone had a light on it from his side of the screen. But he didn't have a light, so he opened the door. No one, but now the light was on the back wall of his father's office.

"My head!" he yelled outloud as he'd just figured out where the light was coming from. He ran over to his father's office mirror and stared into it at the tv screen on his head, which he had noticed, was not covered while talking to Masashi. But right now he didn't care, it was doing something again! Maybe it was Haruko!

The blue light faded to black, but just when Naota's hopes were lost, a white "P!" flashed onto the screen, followed by a face. A familiar face, of a lovely young womane with yellowish eyes.

"Haruko!" Naota shouted.

"Awww, you remembered!" She smiled, "Yet how could you forget? I swept you off your feet.." Haruko made wierd eyes at him, then went back to normal.

"Haruko..." Naota wanted to ask all the questions he hadn't asked before. Things like.., "When are you coming back? Is the tv in my head gonna be here forever?"

Her smile got softer. "Nahh...Sorry, Takun. But there's something I need you to do for me first."

Something she wanted him to do? But what?

"What is it?" He asked, he was blushing just like he used to when he talked to Haruko. Since she was here now, there was no need to feel resentment towards her for leaving!

"I need you to push this tv out of your head when it's fully formed. It's not yet, but I could tell it's getting there.." She made an inquizitive face, then looked around as if looking at the room he was standing in. "But um..you're gonna need more room than this, Takun. Maybe..outside?"

He nodded. He's pushed things out of his head before, what's stopping him this time? "How big is it?" He asked.

"Heh. I'll put it this way, you'll know what it feels like to give birth." She smiled. "Oh, except it's coming out of your brain. Er...at least, where your brain used to be."

Brainless again. He smiled. "Okay.", he promised.

"Good boy. Thanks, Takun." The screen got fuzzy.

"Seeya..." He poked at the screen. She seemed so small when she appeared on there, like an image on a GameBoy.

He sat down in his father's office chair. After a while of thinking about Haruko and what would happen once she came back, Naota drifted off to sleep.

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The next morning Naota didn't bother to get up for school. He didn't want to do anything knowing that Haruko won't come back until the tv comes out of his head. But what was it? A television? A gaming system? No, why would Medical Mechanica need a gaming system. Ridiculous.

He didn't know anything about this Medical Mechanica stuff, even if he'd already been through it once. Haruko and Amarao tried to explain it to him, but he still managed to misunderstand.

So what exactly makes the things in his head come out faster? He smiled at the thought of what he just said. There's no use pulling it out, besides, while it's in, and some time afterward, he would have no brain.

And felt pretty good to be brainless again.

Naota picked up the phone and dialed the number for Mamimi. He silently waited as the phone rang.

Voicemail.

"Hellooo! This is Samejiiii...leave me and Takkun a message and I'll call you back!" Beeeeeep...

Her and Takkun? Had she not changed her voicemail since she last came back to Japan?

"Hey, Mamimi? It's..Naota. I was just wondering if you wanted to do something today like hang out by the river!" He sounded unusually happy, but even Mamimi will be happy when she hears Haruko is coming back. The only reason Mamimi didn't like Haruko was because she was taking him away, but now she didn't need to worry because "Takkun" has a girlfriend!

Girlfriend? Why is it that instead of calling Ninamori, he thought to call Mamimi first?

Instinct, he was guessing. It was just what he normally did when he was happy. He'd call Mamimi, then go under the bridge and explain the whole story to her. Not that she really ever listened.

He put on pants (he had only been wearing a black t-shirt and boxers), shoes and a red hoody, and got ready to leave. Then he put on his beany hat so no one could notice the tv in his head.

If Mamimi didn't answer her phone, she was probably down by the river anyway. So he decided to go down there and meet her, or wait for her.

Walking down the street, Naota had a special hop in his step today. After all, Haruko coming back was just one small push away.

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_Okay, folks! That's all for right now! I'll be back with more soon, though. Once I figure out what exactly to write. I'm running out of ideas for the story, you know. Though you're probably happy. "Thank god shes done writing for now.." you say! ; Plus I've been pretty sick lately.. And the ending to this chapter is super corny. Plz don't hate... :(_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey, guys! What did you think of the last few chapters:D I liked them..but I don't know chapter six was kinda "ehh.." And I'm trying to watch episodes to get in the mood of FLCL again. So I can, you know, create a masterpiece like chapters two or three. Off you go, to a world of adventure!_

_...that I don't legally own, by the way. Gainax does. Blame them for my insanity._

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Naota rode his bike to the bridge. But he wasn't sure if Mamimi would be there...

What if she'd started college or something?

'Mamimi? School?', he thought to himself, 'Impossible..' He smiled at the thought of how well he knew his friend. Two years and he remembers this much about her? She really must have been special to him.

"Ta...er..Naota-kun! You came! And I didn't even have to call you..." Mamimi came up behind him just as he'd set his bike down and sat in the grass. "What's the occasion?" She snickered.

"Occasion?" He thought for a minute. How would he break it to Mamimi that Haruko was going to be coming back? Or..maybe he should just say it like it is. "Remember Haruko? The..'Vespa Woman'..she rode around on it..with a guitar?"

Mamimi looked confused. "...Lord Canti?" he tried something a little more referable.

"Haru-san?" She seemed happy enough, "What about her?"

"Well..uhhh...she's coming back." If Mamimi was happy about it, why did he still feel unsure?

"...Really? Haru-san's coming back from her trip?" She acts as if she didn't see the vespa fly off that day without him. "Wow...we should get ready, and make them a feast!"

"Feast? Them?" Well, now he was confused, "Who's them? Haruko's one person..."

"Haru-san, yeah but...Lord Canti needs a feast! Fit for gods!" She fell backwards, seemingly overwhelmed with the thought of the robot.

"Oh, yeah. You still think Canti was a god.." Naota laughed to himself, "He was just a robot, you know.."

"No, Naota-kun! Lord Canti was truly a god!" She smiled up at the afternoon sky. "I know it.."

He smiled sympathetically, "Yeah, well, I've gotta go find Ninamori. We need to patch things up because we've been fighting. I don't know what's wrong with her lately.."

"Naota-kun is having problems with his girlfriend..." Mamimi said to herself, "If you want I can help."

"No thanks." He stood up, "Seeya." He walked away with his bike as Mamimi flipped over to watch him walk away.

'Haru-san's really coming back...?' Mamimi thought to herself, 'Hm..I need to buy food for Lord Canti!' She stood up, brushed herself off, and walked, seemingly, to the store.

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Naota pulled his bike along as he looked at the stores he passed by.

Not really stores, but what seemed to be the remainder of a mini-mall.

He smiled at the thought of going in and out of the candy store as a little kid just to buy pocky.

Now he couldn't stand the taste of it. He'd been eating sour, spicy, and bitter things since Haruko left.

He'd changed so much for her.

"Where are you going?" He heard Ninamori from behind him.

"To see you." He turned around. "Were you in that candy store just now? Isn't it closed?"

"No, it's not closed." She walked closer to him. "It's just running out of buisness. You should go in and buy something. I'm trying to help the old man working there pay for things for his family."

Naota sighed and walked in with her. "So I'm guessing you're not mad at me anymore?"

"For now, since you're doing something for a good cause." She picked up a small box of chocolate and put it on the counter. "Here. You should buy this."

He cringed at the sight of it. "I hate chocolate.."

"Well, I don't." She glared at him.

Ohh. He saw now. This was what she wanted. He was supposed to buy something for her. "Right." He slid it further towards the man at the counter. He looked to be over eighty. "This is all."

"Thank you." Naota payed and got his change. "Come again." And the man put on the best smile he could possibly muster. It must be horrible to have your only source of money taken away when you're that old and have a big family to support.

"I will." Naota said sincerely. Because, truly, he thought he should.

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"That was awfully nice of you." Ninamori said as she muched on a piece of candy. "Saying you'd go back to that store and all."

"But I meant it.." Naota replied, "I really do want to go back."

"And why is that?" she asked.

"I don't know.." Naota tripped on his bike pedal for a second. "Er..I mean..."

"Pity?" she said, like it were nothing, "Or do you really enjoy that gloomy store so much to return again for chocolate you don't even eat."

"No!" he lied, "I mean...I'll buy more chocolate there for you."

"I actually think this chocolate tastes stale..." She threw the box. As if it were nothing.

"I spent money on that..." Naota watched the meloncholy box pass him as they continued walking. It looked so deserted...

"So, were you going to give your apology soon?" She stopped and looked at him.

"Apology? Er.." See, he would give one, if only he hadn't forgotten what he was sorry for. "I'm sorry.." Maybe keeping it simple would help.

"Right.." She looked unpleased. Like something so simple would be enough for the mayors daughter. "Try again.", she demanded.

"I'm sorry for.." He almost asked, "...not sitting with you at lunch that one day? And..uhh..." Then it came to him. Why was he patching things up with her, anyway? Ninamori would barely exist to him once Haruko came back! "Why am I apologizing?"

"...What?" She looked confused now. "What do you mean 'why'? Because you hung out with that highschool airhead instead of calling me, and you keep ignoring my calls!"

"Ignoring your--?" Kamon must have forgotten to tell him she called. Oh well. "I wasn't ignoring your calls! I never got them! And anyway, Mamimi's my friend!"

"Your friend? She's only talking to you because you remind her of Tasuku!" Tears formed in her eyes.

Just as he thought. Once things didn't go her way, she cried. Just like any other spoiled little rich girl. "That's not true! Mamimi probably talked to my brother while she was in America!"

"Oh, yeah, Naota. You could just walk anywhere in America and bump into _pro baseball players_!" The tears began to fall. But as much as Naota hated to see girls cry, he didn't care this time. He'd had it.

"Stop it, Ninamori! This is stupid!" He threw his bike to the ground. "And, you know what? I never actually liked you, and as a matter of fact, I hate you now!"

She gasped, and stopped crying. Her face returned to it's normal color, (it had been red from the arguing) and she stood up straight. "Then I guess--" But she didn't get to finish her sentence, because Naota was on the ground holding his head in his hands. "Naota?" she asked, "What's wrong?"

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_Good chapter? Hm? C'mon..I need reviewss:( Please? I thought this was an okay chapter, though. And everyone knows what's going to happen in chapter eight. Or do youuu? MWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAAAAA:D_


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